STUDIES ON N, P AND BIOFERTILIZER MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ON GROWTH, YIELD AND NUTRIENT UPTAKE OF PEARL MILLET [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.]
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Date
2014
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ACHARYA N.G. RANGA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY
Abstract
A field experiment entitled “Studies on N, P and Biofertilizer management practices on growth, yield and nutrient uptake of pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.]” was conducted during kharif, 2013 on sandy soil of the Agricultural College Farm, Bapatla The treatmental details were T1 : Control, T2 : Biofertilizer alone (Azospirillum and PSB), T3 : 20 kg N + 15 kg P2O5 ha-1, T4 : 40 kg N + 30 kg P2O5 ha-1, T5 : 60 kg N + 45 kg P2O5 ha-1, T6 : T2 + T3, T7 : T2 + T4 and T8 : T2 + T5. The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design (RBD) and replicated thrice.
Increasing levels of inorganic N and P fertilizers in combination with biofertilizers had a significant influence in increasing plant height and drymatter production. Application of 60 kg N + 45 kg P2O5 ha-1 + biofertilizers (Azospirillum and PSB) recorded the highest plant height (78.9 cm) and drymatter production (12.0 q ha-1) at 30 DAS. Similar trends were also observed for plant height and drymatter production in pearl millet at remaining stages.
Numbers of hills m-2 did not differ significantly among the treatments. Number of tillers per hill decreased from 30 DAS to 60 DAS and remained constant thereafter except for T1. At 30 DAS significantly highest number of tillers per hill was recorded in T5 treatment (3.97) which was at par with T4 (3.93). At 60 DAS and at harvest T8 treatment recorded significantly the highest number of tillers per hill (2.3).
Days to 50% flowering of pearl millet was significantly reduced with increasing fertility levels along with biofertilizers. Control (T1) recorded maximum number of days to 50% flowering (52.7) whereas the lowest number of days to 50% flowering was recorded with T8 treatment (47.7) followed by T7 treatment (48.3). There was a difference of 5 days between the highest and the lowest number of days to 50% flowering within the treatments.
All the yield attributes viz., number of earheads m-2, length of earhead (cm), number of grain rows earhead-1, number of filled grains row-1 and test weight (g/1000 grain) were significantly influenced by different treatments. Highest number of earheads m-2 (33.6), length of earhead (25.0 cm), number of grain rows earhead-1 (32.0) and number of filled grains row-1 (87.4) were recorded with T8 treatment (60 kg N + 45 kg P2O5 ha-1 + biofertilizer) which was on a par with T7 treatment (40 kg N + 30 kg P2O5 ha-1 + biofertilizer). Highest value of test weight was recorded with T7 treatment (9.3 g/1000 grains) being at par with T8 treatment (9.2 g/1000 grains) and significantly superior to control.
Grain and stover yields of pearl millet differed significantly with varying levels of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers in association with biofertilizers. The maximum grain yield (29.7 q ha-1) and stover yield (67.5 q ha-1) were recorded with the combined application of inorganic fertilizer and biofertilizers (60 kg N + 45 kg P2O5 ha-1 + biofertilizer ) but it remained at par with 40 kg N + 30 kg P2O5 ha-1 + biofertilizer. The magnitude of increase in grain yield with T8 (29.7 q ha-1), T7 (27.2 q ha-1) and T5 treatments (25.1 q ha-1) over control (13.2 q ha-1) was to the extent of 125.0, 106.1 and 90.1 per cent, respectively. Application of biofertilizer alone recorded significantly higher grain (15.9 q ha-1) and stover (41.9 q ha-1) yields over the control (13.2 q ha-1 & 36.9 q ha-1 respectively).
The highest harvest index (31.8 %) was recorded with the application of 40 kg N + 30 kg P2O5 ha-1 + biofertilizer during the study followed by T3 treatment (31.2 %) which were on a par with rest of the treatments except control.
Protein content in pearl millet grain was significantly influenced by varying N and P levels in association with biofertilizers. Maximum protein content in grain was recorded in the T8 treatment (10.4%) which was on a par with T7 treatment (10.2%). The treatments T4, T6 and T3 also recorded significantly higher protein content which were 6.5, 5.1 and 4.1 per cent, respectively higher than the control.
Nutrient content and uptake of nitrogen & phosphorus were increased significantly with the increasing fertility levels. 60 kg N + 45 kg P2O5 ha-1 + biofertilizers recorded the highest nitrogen and phosphorus content in grain & stover of pearl millet. The highest nitrogen and phosphorus uptake by grain (49.6 kg ha-1 & 11.4 kg ha-1) and stover (48.7 kg ha-1 & 14.4 kg ha-1) was recorded with T8 treatment which was on a par with 40 kg N + 30 kg P2O5 ha-1 + biofertilizers but significantly superior to control and application of biofertilizer alone. Similarly trend was followed by total nitrogen and phosphorus uptake.
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